Love at first drop?the origin of Japanese soy sauce Yuasa is the birthplace of soy sauce in Japan. Called shoyu, Japanese soy sauce is produced using techniques and ingredients distinct from those used in other Asian countries and generally has a sweeter, maltier taste. As the foundation of Japanese cuisine?which itself has been designated by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage?shoyu came to Yuasa during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), brought from China in the form of Kinzanji miso. The fermentation of miso creates a flavorful runoff that local brewers began to use as a seasoning. In Yuasa, shoyu continues to be made with traditional fermentation techniques in hand-stirred vats, producing shoyu with a distinctly complex flavor.